One of the most important aspects of living a contemplative lifestyle is the discipline of setting aside retreat time at least once a week. I try to do this during the weekdays on my solitary two-hour long hikes up into the foothills. The trailhead is just five minutes from my home. In addition, my wife, sister-in-law and I enjoy hiking together on Saturday afternoons. At the halfway point, we separate and each have our own individual retreat. For me, this involves falling asleep in a sunny meadow, then having a 20-minute meditation period, doing a little reading, and then writing in my journal. I find these times so important for taking a vacation from the more superficial, ego- and survival-driven aspects of my personality in order to get in touch with the core self, which is rooted in the divine Source. Without these regular retreat times in the Great Outdoors, I don't think I could retain whatever degree of sanity I DO happen to have!
Photo: Sister-in-law Nancy having a retreat in a meadow by a rectangular-shaped block of sandstone; Red Mountain Open Space, Larimer County, CO; October, 19, 2013
If you'd like to give a donation to help fund Nature Photo-Quotes, please go here. Thanks!
No comments:
Post a Comment